Slow is the internet this morning.  I couldn’t get on.

My boarders give me so many interesting things to talk about.  Maybe more than the horses.

Well one of the horses is on medication for Cushing’s.  I’ve always crushed it and put it in applesauce and then syringed it into their mouths.  I want to know that they get the full dose.  This horse is usually very good about taking it.  That is until the day after the owner gives it to her.

This mare is very particular about everything, and doesn’t hesitate to let you know when something is not to her liking.  She is not food motivated and this makes everything harder to do.  Some days I feel like I have to stand on my head, do the old “here comes the airplane into the hanger” thing to get her to eat.  Some days she will eat most of her food and someday’s you are just out of luck.  She needs weight so this becomes a real challenge.

So back to the medication thing.  When I give this horse her meds I speak to her and let her sniff the syringe.  Oh of course she’ll put her head up and say “I don’t want that.”  I just lay the syringe next to her mouth and she’ll put her head down with acceptance.  I’ll place the tip of it in the corner of her mouth and depress the plunger very slow and let it drip on her tongue.  She will lap it up with no problem.  The day after the owner, it’s like -no way are you getting into my mouth with that thing.

Okay so what’s the difference?  Spoke to the owner this morning about her technique.  Shove it in and squirt it in.  I looked at her and said “How rude.”  How would you feel if I walked up to you, shoved this thing in your mouth and hit either the back of your tongue or throat with this stuff.  Would you look forward to that tomorrow?”  Sometime we’ve got to do what we have to do to get what they need into them, but if you try it the easy way, and the horse is good about it, why would you anger the nice horsey?  Remember, whisper until you have to yell.  The owner told me I was so smart and kind.  I told her, years of playing the game.

Always look at a situation with the idea of, how would I like this done to me?

Maybe I think too much about silly things.  But if it works, why not?